Apparatus for use in making faced concrete building-blocks



I .W. WILSON.

APPLICATWN FILED JULY II, ISZO- Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

APPARATUS FOR USE m MAKING FACED coucnm BUILDING BLOCKS. 1,401,384.

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firmwares USE IN MAKING FACED ooncnnrn BUILDING-BLOCKS.

= l Application filed my 17,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VALTER WILSON, of

South Dewar street, Dunfermline, Scotland,

a subject of the Kingof Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Apparatus for Use in Making Faced Concrete Building- Blocks, (for which Ihavefiled application for atent in Great Britain under date of April 22, 1919,) of which the following is a specification. l I y l This invention relates to the manufacture of faced concrete building blocks or slabs and the like for dwelling houses, factories,

. ed face up in a suitable mold, then, whilethe $5 and for other structural work.

F or the purpose of removing the monotonous appearance of concrete walls it is common practice to cover the surface withstene chips-or pebbles. The operation, WlllGh. is known as pebbledashing, consists in dashing a mixture of chips or pebbles and cement against the surface of the structure to wh ch the mixture adheres. The pebbles or chips adhering to the structure have their outer surfaces covered by affilm of cement and,

when a high degree of finish is required, this film is cleaned awe and the pebbles or ch ps polished by sand lasting, thereby adding materially to the cost ofthe operation.

According to this invention concrete blocks, slabs and the like, for use in structural work, are faced in a special manner during the course of manufacture and while in the mold.

The block or slab or the like is first moldface of the blockorslab isstill moist, a coating or surface of cement is laid on the face, then pea-pebblesor stdne chips are deposited automatically onto the wet cement and while it is still wet, the surface is washed or sprayed with water, and finally the whole mass is allowed to set in the mold. y,

Afterbeing washed orsprayed with water in the manner described, the block or slab 1s allowed to set in the mold and when Set the ea-pebbles or stone chips .will be foundto be quiteclean so that no subsequent sand blasting or polishing or further treatment is necessary. The pea-pebbles give a clean polished surface while, when stone chips are used, a clean rough cast surface is obtained.

The de osition of the chips or pebbles automatical y and evenly on the block or slab or the like in the mold is performed by a novel machine comprising a framework having a slide therein capable of being traversed ia t rm n:- Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 397,086.

over the block or slab or the like in the mold. Unthe frame is a bridge piece to which one end of a sheet of cloth or other suitable flexible material is secured the other end being attached to a roller or equivalent. The ar rungement is such that as the cloth is wound oil the roller the slide is traversed over the mold above the face of the block or slab or the like therein and stretches the cloth tightly. The chips or pebbles are then sprinkled or laid on the cloth and evenly spread and thereafter, the cloth is wound onto the roller while being held stretched by the slide which, at the same time, is caused to recede against the action of a weight or equivalent means. As the cloth rolls up, the

pebbles or chips are easily and quickly de positedautomatically and quite evenly onto the face of the block or slab or the like.

A form of the machine for use in carrying out the invention is shown, simply by way of illustration OFQXflIllPlQ, on the accompanying drawings, whereon Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the machine shown imposition over a mold for forming concrete blocks or slabs.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the lineX-X Fig. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrow.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a View illustrative of the manner in which thechips or pebbles are deposited ontothe face of a block or slab.

Referring to the drawings l A represents the mold with a concrete block or slab formed therein and with the surfaeeB, which is to be faced in accord-- ance with my present invention, uppermost.

The framework of the machine comprises longitmlinul members 1 spaced apart to suit the width ofthe mold and held in place by suitable cross ties 2 at each end. The memhere 1 are further braced intermediate the ends by bridge pieces 3, 4, and are grooved or recessed. as at 5 to provide guides for a slide 6.

roller 7 with cloth or other suitable fi8Xihis material 8 thereon has its axle 7 journaled in brackets 9 secured to the lower bridge piece The free end of the cloth or otherfiexible material is passed along under the slide 6, then up at the front end thereof and then back over the slide and finally it is secured to the upper bridge piece 4, as shown.

Fixed on the roller shaft or axle 7 is a drum 10 or pulley on which is wound a wire slide 6', then over a second guide 11 whose free end is first passed over a guide pulley 12 attached to the rear end of the pulley 13 attached to the front tie 2, after which it is connected to a weight 14%.

The roller 7 is conveniently operated by a handle 15 on a chain wheel 16 which is rotatably carried by an upright or bracket 17 011 the upper bridge piece 4 and is operably connected with a similar wheel 18, fixed on the roller shaft or axle 7, by means of a chain 19.

-The operation of facing the block or slab with the machine is as follows After the block or slab has been formed face up in the mold A the faceis coated with a layer of cement. The machine is moved over the mold or contrariwise the mold is brought under the machine (Fig. 1) and the slide 6, if not already in the right hand position shown, is moved to this position by operating the handle 15 so as to pay out or unwind the cloth from the roller 7, thereby simultaneously unwinding the wire 11 from the drum 10 and allowing the slide 6, under the action of the weight 14 to move forward to the right while acting to maintain the cloth tightly stretched as it is wound off the drum. \Vhen the slide with the cloth stretched over the same is in the position shown, marble, granite, whin or other stone chips, or pea-pebbles, as indicated at 20, are sprinkled or laid on the upper surface of the stretched cloth and evenly spread, the spreading being easily done by simply tapping or jarring the framework, or in other manner. Thereafter the cloth 8 is re-wound on to the roller 7 while being held stretched by the slide 6 which, at the same time, is caused to move toward the left hand of the frame against the action of the weight 14. As the cloth rolls up, the chips or pebbles drop automatically, as illustrated at Fig. 4, over the forward edge of the cloth where it passes around the end of the slide and are deposited gradually and quite evenly on to the face B of the concrete block or slab in the mold.

After the pebbles or stone chips have been deposited they are embedded in the wet cement layer and the surface is then washed or sprayed with water in the manner already described, the whole mass being finally left to set in the mold and to form one solid block or slab.

While I have described one preferred form of machine for carrying my invention into effect orpractice it is to be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the .invention. For example, the roller 7 may be operated directly, if desired, instead of through the medium of gearing, and spring or other means may he used in lieu of the weight for the proper actuation of the slide 6 relatively to the cloth 8.

There may be a battery of machines fixed in position and the blocks or slabs in their molds be moved thereunder for facing and thereafter be withdrawn mechanically or otherwise.

Having now fully described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A machine for use in depositing stone chips or pebbles on to molded concrete blocks and the like, comprising a framework, a slide within the framework, a roller carried by the framework, flexible material secured at its one end and passed around the slide on to the roller, and means whereby as the flexible material is wound on and olf the roller the slide is simultaneously traversed within the framework while acting to maintain the flexible material tightly stretched.

2. A machine for use in depositing stone chips or pebbles on to concrete blocks and the like, comprising a framework, a slide within the framework, a roller carried by the framework, flexible material secured at its one end and passed around the slide on to the roller, means for rotating the roller, and means acting in conjunction with the slide and roller whereby as the flexible material is wound on and off the roller the slide is simultaneously traversed within the framework while acting to maintain the flexible material tightly stretched.

3. A machine for use in depositing stone chips or pebbles on to concrete blocks and the like, comprising a framework, a slide within the framework, flexible material secured at its one end to the framework and passed around the slide on to the roller, chain gear for rotating the roller, and gravity means acting in conjunction with the slide whereby as the flexible material is wound on. and ofl'- the roller the slide is simultaneously moved within the frame while acting to maii'itain the cloth tightly stretched.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER WILSON. Witnesses:

Wruimu GALL, MARY GREEN. 

